CEI: Six Reasons FCC Rules Aren’t Needed to Protect Privacy

CEI: Six Reasons FCC Rules Aren’t Needed to Protect Privacy by Ryan Radia:

The Competitive Enterprise Institute has long been skeptical of the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) approach to regulating how Internet service providers (ISPs) use subscriber data. We filed comments expressing our concerns to the FCC in July 2016, before the agency adopted the rule, and again in March 2017. The FCC’s privacy rule, adopted by the agency in October 2016, regulates broadband providers’ data security practices and dictates how providers must obtain consent from their subscribers before collecting or disclosing user information. Last week, the Senate passed a Congressional Review Act resolution to rescind the misguided rule, while the House of Representatives is set to vote on the joint resolution on Tuesday afternoon.

Much of the narrative surrounding this debate centers on the fear that consumers will have no privacy protection if the president signs the resolution. But these fears, simply put, are based on a myopic understanding of the numerous laws, regulations, and institutions that protect our privacy on the Internet other than the FCC’s burdensome, legally questionable privacy rule. Here’s a partial list of all the things that are stopping ISPs from misusing customer data or selling it to third parties in a way that could harm Internet users.